Author Katy Perry

            She grew up in Millinocket in the 1920’s and 30’s. She attended Aroostook Avenue School and graduated from Stearns High School in 1938. At Stearns HS she participated in many activities (plays, science club, debate club). Then on to Farmington State Normal School, became a teacher and in the following years taught in the towns of Derby, Millinocket and Whitefield. Her name was Catherine Luke.

            Catherine’s story has many twists and turns. She married Bernard Perry in 1943 just before he was inducted into the Army, WWII. After the war, they moved to Whitefield, then Augusta and Hallowell and along the way raised four sons.

Catherine was a busy lady and had various occupations throughout her long life. In the 1940’s, she did freelance writing. In 1968, she began doing daily interview shows on WRDO radio in Augusta where she was commentator for a show called “Coffee Break.” She worked in public relations for Maine DHS and co-anchored an educational program for underemployed Mainers (1978). Catherine wrote columns for several newspapers and in her later years was known to “stop and chat” regularly with people on the streets of Hallowell.

After her husband’s death in 1981, “life became a bit mundane” so Catherine volunteered with the U.S. Peace Corps (age 61). She packed her bag and left for 2 years working in governmental communications in Belize. She described it as a “better learning experience than any 4-year college.”

Upon returning to Hallowell, Catherine began writing books (fiction and non-fiction) under the pen name Katy Perry. In 2011, this writer had the opportunity to meet Katy Perry at her residence in Hallowell (thanks to Kitty St. John, Katy’s cousin). It was a most interesting afternoon as she shared stories of her life in Millinocket and elsewhere, talked about her writings and donated numerous family photos and copies of several of her books to the museum.

The Katy Perry books cover a range of topics including Maine & Millinocket stories, people she met, her travels and much more. She could turn anything into a story. In her book Mad Tuesdays, she states, “Every woman worth her salt deserves at least one day off a week.” If a friend or neighbor called on a Tuesday, Catherine would convince them to go off on an unplanned adventure with her. It might be to a second-hand shop, a sauna or just a drive to a little village. She called them her “Mad Tuesdays,” which became the title of her 2nd book.

Other books are: Drinking from a Tin Cup, Only One Icebox to Fill, Pieces of Earth and Living on the Edge. Two children’s books authored by Katy Perry are titled My Grandmother Wears Crazy Hats and Gardens are for Looking.

Copies at museum, but none for sale. Her books were all self-published.